Jon Tonks Photographs Remnants of a Colonial Past

Photographer Jon Tonks set out to document several small islands, formerly owned by the British colonial empire, for his latest project. Titled 'Empire,' the series focuses on post-colonial regions.

Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha, St. Helena and Falkland Islands, all of which are scattered around the South Atlantic, were photographed in present-day. However, this might not be immediately obvious; each image looks as though it could have been taken decades ago. The invocation of the past is perhaps what makes this series so delightful, and definitely what makes it so intriguing.

The project was no casual endeavor, with Tonks dedicating a month to each territory. Numerically, the project cost him 24 flights, approximately 400 film rolls and six years to complete.